Last Updated on: 10 September 2026

OnBuy itself does not normally sell the products listed on its marketplace. Independent third-party sellers supply the goods.

Many OnBuy purchases are genuine, but there are documented buyer complaints alleging counterfeit products, including perfumes, electronics and branded goods.

A live seller page reviewed in 2026 also contains several customer reviews alleging fake products.

This does not mean everything on OnBuy is counterfeit, but it shows why shoppers should check the individual seller rather than judging the marketplace alone.

OnBuy currently provides eligible purchases with protection for up to 180 days after payment.

Does OnBuy Sell Fake Products?

a Fake Product on OnBuy

The most accurate answer is that fake products have reportedly been sold by individual sellers using OnBuy, rather than OnBuy itself deliberately operating as a counterfeit retailer.

OnBuy works as an online marketplace connecting shoppers with independent sellers. Its customer terms state that the seller enters into the sale contract with the customer.

OnBuy describes itself as the seller’s commercial agent for concluding transactions and accepting payment, while also stating that OnBuy itself is not a party to the customer contract.

That distinction matters when something goes wrong.

A shopper should therefore ask two separate questions:

The seller, its history, location, reviews and legal identity deserve as much attention as the product listing.

What Do Real Buyers Say About Counterfeit Products?

Specific buyer experiences give a clearer picture than general marketplace ratings.

Apple AirPods Discovered After 182 Days

One buyer reported purchasing Apple AirPods for around £190. After the earphones later developed problems, an Apple Store reportedly identified them as counterfeit.

The important part of the case was timing. The buyer said they discovered the problem 182 days after purchasing them, just outside the 180-day protection period.

The case highlights why authenticity problems involving electronics may not become obvious immediately. A convincing imitation can work for months before faults or warranty checks reveal a problem.

Reported Skincare And Perfume Problems

Other consumer discussions have included allegations involving skincare and fragrance products.

One buyer reported receiving skincare with packaging that differed from the genuine manufacturer’s version and said the manufacturer subsequently identified it as counterfeit.

Another report concerned perfume advertised as Versace Crystal Noir, where the buyer believed the packaging and contents did not match the genuine fragrance and instead appeared to imitate another Versace product.

These are individual consumer reports rather than regulatory findings, but they demonstrate why cosmetics and fragrances deserve particularly careful checks.

A Live OnBuy Seller Example

There is also evidence directly visible on OnBuy itself.

As checked in September 2026, the seller “the proof trade” showed a rating of 6.1/10 from seven reviews, including four one-star reviews.

Several reviewers alleged that perfumes or branded goods they received were fake or counterfeit, while one complained that the seller did not respond after a refund request.

The same seller profile identifies a legal entity based in Shenzhen, China, along with a VAT number and company number.

Importantly, three other reviews on the same profile were five-star reviews. The example therefore illustrates why buyers should read individual recent reviews instead of looking only at an overall score.

How To Check An OnBuy Seller Before Buying?

One useful feature of OnBuy is that seller pages can display considerably more information than just a trading name.

OnBuy’s terms require relevant seller business details to be shown on the seller’s shop, while current seller pages can display the legal name, business address, VAT number and company number where applicable.

Before purchasing an expensive branded product:

A foreign seller is not automatically suspicious, and a UK address is not proof of authenticity. The information should form part of a wider assessment.

Why Are Some OnBuy Products So Cheap?

A low price alone does not prove that an item is fake.

OnBuy operates a marketplace model where sellers compete for customers, and products may also come from overseas suppliers or businesses operating with different cost structures.

There is a more detailed explanation of why OnBuy is so cheap, but unusually large discounts on high-demand branded products should still trigger additional checks.

Compare the price against:

A £5 or £10 difference may simply reflect competition. A supposedly new premium product selling for a fraction of the normal authorised-retailer price deserves much closer examination.

How Can You Spot A Potentially Fake Product?

Counterfeits vary widely in quality, so there is no single test.

Common warning signs include:

For higher-value electronics, check serial numbers or warranty eligibility directly with the manufacturer where possible.

Keep screenshots of the listing as well. Sellers can change listings later, and the original description may become useful evidence if you need to demonstrate that the item was advertised as genuine.

Why Fake Cosmetics And Perfume Can Be A Safety Risk?

Counterfeit skincare, makeup and perfume are potentially more serious than receiving a poor-quality imitation handbag or accessory.

Cosmetics legally placed on the Great Britain market must meet safety requirements. Before a cosmetic product is made available to consumers, it must undergo a professional safety assessment and have a designated Responsible Person.

Required labelling can include ingredients, batch identification, precautions and Responsible Person details.

UK product-safety research also recognises substances including lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic as contaminants requiring strict control in cosmetics.

Be suspicious when cosmetics have:

A batch code alone does not prove authenticity because codes can be copied.

If you suspect a cosmetic is counterfeit, stop using it while you investigate. If you experience a concerning reaction, obtain appropriate medical advice and retain the product, packaging and purchase information.

What Buyer Protection Does OnBuy Provide?

Buyer Protections Does OnBuy Offer

OnBuy currently states that eligible physical goods receive OnBuy Protection for up to 180 days after payment, regardless of the payment method.

Claims can cover situations where:

OnBuy instructs buyers to contact the seller first. If the issue cannot be resolved, the customer can escalate the matter to OnBuy through their account.

This marketplace protection should not be confused with your separate statutory consumer rights.

What If You Discover The Fake After 180 Days?

The expiry of OnBuy’s protection period does not automatically mean all your consumer rights disappear.

Citizens Advice states that someone who unknowingly purchases counterfeit goods has consumer rights because the goods do not match their description. Within the first 30 days, this can include a right to a full refund.

Between 30 days and six months, the seller may be able to provide a genuine replacement, otherwise a refund may be required.

After six months, proving that the item was counterfeit can become more important. Consumer rights can potentially remain relevant for years depending on the circumstances. Citizens Advice guidance on counterfeit goods

Could Section 75 Help?

Possibly.

Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act can make a credit provider jointly liable for certain purchases costing more than £100 and up to £30,000.

However, shoppers should not assume every credit-card purchase through OnBuy automatically qualifies.

Transactions involving payment intermediaries or marketplaces can sometimes break the required legal relationship between the debtor, creditor and supplier.

Citizens Advice specifically warns that Section 75 does not usually apply where you did not buy directly from the trader, although the exact payment arrangement matters.

Chargeback may provide another route through your bank, although it is a card-scheme process rather than the same statutory protection as Section 75.

PayPal also has its own dispute deadlines, so discovering a problem after 180 days can restrict that option too.

Can You Take The Seller To Court?

A county court money claim may be an option in England and Wales after other reasonable attempts to resolve the dispute have failed.

You will normally need the defendant’s name and address, which makes the seller information shown on OnBuy particularly important.

Claims involving overseas sellers can be considerably more complicated. GOV.UK guidance on making a money claim

There is also an important distinction around OnBuy’s role. Its customer terms describe OnBuy as a commercial agent acting for sellers but state that it is not itself a party to the sale contract.

Whether OnBuy could carry separate liability in a particular case is a legal question that depends on the facts and should not be assumed either way.

What To Do If You Receive A Fake Item From OnBuy?

If you believe a product is counterfeit:

  1. Stop Using Potentially Unsafe Products:This is particularly important for cosmetics, electrical items, chargers, children’s products and anything applied to the body.
  2. Gather Evidence: Photograph the product, packaging, labels, serial numbers and differences from the genuine version. Save the listing and order confirmation.
  3. Ask The Brand To Verify It: For expensive branded products, the manufacturer or authorised retailer may be able to confirm whether an item is genuine.
  4. Contact The Seller Through OnBuy: Explain clearly that the product was advertised as genuine but appears counterfeit and request an appropriate remedy.
  5. Escalate To OnBuy: If the seller does not resolve the problem and you are within the applicable protection period, escalate it through OnBuy.
  6. Contact Your Payment Provider: Ask whether chargeback, Section 75 or another payment-provider dispute route applies to your transaction.
  7. Report Counterfeit Trading: Citizens Advice can advise consumers and pass relevant matters to Trading Standards.
  8. Report Suspected Fraud Where Appropriate: The former Action Fraud service has been replaced by Report Fraud. Counterfeit goods sold as authentic can be reported through Report Fraud in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland uses different reporting arrangements.

OnBuy Vs Amazon, eBay And Temu Buyer Protection

Marketplace Relevant Published Protection Counterfeit Or Not-As-Described Route
OnBuy Up to 180 days after payment for eligible purchases Contact seller, then escalate through OnBuy Protection
Amazon Marketplace A-to-z eligibility can include orders whose latest delivery date was within the previous 90 days A-to-z Guarantee for qualifying third-party orders
eBay Most not-as-described issues must be raised within 30 days of actual or estimated delivery Money Back Guarantee specifically covers strong indicators of counterfeiting
Temu Purchase Protection applies, while most products have a return/refund window of up to 90 days Return/refund process for damaged or not-as-described goods

The longest published marketplace window does not necessarily provide the strongest overall legal protection. Payment method, seller location, evidence and statutory rights can all matter.

Is OnBuy Connected To Temu?

OnBuy and Temu are separate marketplaces.

The fact that some OnBuy sellers are based in China does not mean OnBuy is owned by, operated by or part of Temu. International sellers operate across many marketplaces.

The better question is not where a marketplace is associated geographically, but who the individual seller is, where the seller is legally based and whether there is evidence that the specific product is genuine.

Conclusion

So, does OnBuy sell fake products? OnBuy is primarily a marketplace rather than the direct seller of goods, but there is credible evidence of customers alleging that individual OnBuy sellers have supplied counterfeit products.

That should not be interpreted as evidence that all or most OnBuy products are fake. It does mean shoppers should avoid treating the marketplace name alone as an authenticity guarantee.

Check the seller’s legal identity, read recent negative reviews, compare unusually low prices with authorised retailers and use extra caution with electronics, perfumes, skincare and other safety-sensitive products.

If something does go wrong, act promptly. OnBuy’s 180-day protection is useful, but statutory consumer rights and payment-provider options may remain relevant even when a marketplace claim is no longer available.

FAQs

Does OnBuy Directly Sell Products?

OnBuy mainly operates as a marketplace where independent sellers supply products. The individual seller generally enters into the sales contract with the customer.

What Happens If I Discover A Fake After OnBuy’s 180-Day Window?

You may still have rights against the seller under consumer law. Depending on how you paid, chargeback or Section 75 may also be worth investigating, although Section 75 is not guaranteed for marketplace transactions.

Can I See An OnBuy Seller’s Legal Details Before Buying?

Yes. Seller profiles can show information such as the legal business name, address, VAT number and company registration number where applicable.

Are Counterfeit Perfumes And Skincare Dangerous?

They can present additional risks because their ingredients, manufacturing conditions and safety assessment may be unknown. Stop using a suspected counterfeit cosmetic while its authenticity is investigated.

Is OnBuy Linked To Temu?

No. They are separate marketplaces. Some OnBuy sellers may be based in China or other countries, but that does not make OnBuy part of Temu.

What Is The Difference Between Citizens Advice And Report Fraud?

Citizens Advice provides consumer-rights guidance and can refer relevant matters to Trading Standards. Report Fraud records fraud and cybercrime reports for policing purposes.

Is It Safe To Buy Expensive Products From OnBuy?

It can be, but higher-value branded purchases deserve extra checks. Verify the seller, compare the price with authorised retailers, preserve purchase evidence and understand the available protection before ordering.